Mastering the Braidout: Natural, Relaxed, Texlaxed, Transitioning

BRAIDOUTS: HOW-TO'S FOR RELAXED, TRANSITIONING, AND NATURAL HAIR

Natural Hair: Braidout on Flat Ironed Hair

BRAIDOUT ON FLAT IRONED HAIR

All mysteries aside, this texture is similar to relaxed hair--but not. Flat ironed hair will define well with a braidout, but will not hold the crinkled texture for long. HOW I GOT THIS LOOK: Used a water based leave in and did about 15 braids throughout the head. It wasn't difficult. THINGS TO NOTE: You can use a water based product on flat ironed hair--but you don't want it to be too watery. You'll need a little water in your leave-in product for the hair to properly "set". However, putting water straight up on this heated texture will revert the hair. So, keep it CREAMY, not WATERY. I only put product on my hair for this braidout on Day 1. After that, I simply re-braid nightly (less braids). 

BRAIDOUT ON TRANSITIONING HAIR

This is the most creative I had to get in order to get a good looking braidout on my hair!

With puffy roots (the unprocessed hair) peeking through, and the relaxed hair uncompromising, I really had to decide on product AND technique. I was known to play with products during my transition, which is important. I had to find out what my hair responded to. I often used creamy leave in--like the Bronner Bros creamy leave-in (I forget the name). So long as it was creamy and not watery, I gave it a try. HOW I GOT THIS LOOK: Fresh washed/conditioned hair. Product from root to ends (your product of choice). Most importantly, I had to accept the fact that my most perfect braid out while transitioning was accomplished with braids and a roller at the end of each braid (to match up the 2 different textures). It didn't match up completely, but it masked the difference a bit.  

Braidout on Transitioning Hair

The more braids: The smaller the waves

 RESULTS:

BRAIDOUT ON NATURAL (UNPROCESSED) HAIR

This picture was taken while I was transitioning, but I cut off all of the relaxed hair from my "bang" section. It gave me a good chance to experiment, and learn before my entire head was "all natural". Because I was working with such a small section, it wasn't as intimidating as a whole head of hair!

I did twists on freshly washed, deep conditioned hair. The results were phenomenal. I recall that I barely used any leave-in. Mostly it was the fact that I had recently used Cassia Obovata to deep condition my hair, and it was soft, pliable, and easily defined. I know I used oils, but I can't recall the leave in. I have been very limited in my leave-in use (even since I was transitioning). I don't think the leave in or "styler" is the answer to defined hair.

One of my Favorite Transitioning Hair Styles

THE FORMULA FOR BRAIDOUT/TWISTOUT DEFINITON

BRAID HAIR WHILE SOAKING WET: 
RESULTS: Tightly defined waves/crinkles. Lots of shrinkage. Long lasting texture. Great shine.

BRAID HAIR WHILE MOSTLY AIR DRIED:
RESULTS: Mildly defined waves/crinkles (hair needs maximum water for "set". Mild shrinkage--less definition, more length. May need to re-braid nightly, as the texture will not hold long. Luster/Shine will depend mostly on the product used.

Braidout on Stretched "Natural" Hair

BRAIDOUT ON STRETCHED HAIR (UN-PROCESSED) RESULTS: Loose texture. Lengthy. Will Revert Easily.


BRAID HAIR IN SMALL SECTIONS:
RESULTS: Smaller crinkles, longer lasting definition

BRAID HAIR IN LARGE SECTIONS:
RESULTS: Large Waves, Definition does not last long. Will need to use product to hold definition.


BRAID HAIR ON BLOW DRIED TEXTURE: 
RESULTS: Soft waves, Definition will not stay for long. Elongated=Length. Will Revert Easily.

Braidout on "Natural" Hair with Products

 BRAID HAIR ON NATURAL COIL/CURL TEXTURE (WITH WATER): 
RESULTS: Strong Definition, Lots of Shrinkage, Lots of Shine, Long Lasting Waves.

BRAIDOUT ON RELAXED/TEXLAXED HAIR (50% AIR DRIED): 
RESULTS: Strong, Defined Waves/Crinkles. Long Lasting Definition. Shine/Sheen. Will show some length.

Braidout on Texlaxed Hair 50% Air Dried (used Oil)

Braidout on Wet Coils Using Oil Only

Top 5 Mistakes I Made That Caused Me To Put A Relaxer on My 7 Year Old!!

Yes, you read right. I put a relaxer on the head of my 7 year old girl. She was heading into 2nd grade, and we both were "ready". Just so you know, we spent every Saturday afternoon with a terrible wash day regimen. The regimen was as follows: I would comb, she would cry. It was pretty simple. I did not know what to do with her waist length curly/coily hair! Neither could I find a hairdresser who was willing to work with her natural hair. They kept telling me to relax her hair! That's not the reason I did it. I relaxed her hair for what I thought would be freedom. It was anything but freedom. I will share that experience with you at another time. This article is to make you aware of my TOP 5 MISTAKES WITH MY NATURAL GIRLS HAIR...

1.) Use of Wrong Products in her hair. Harsh Shampoos made specifically for straight hair did not provide the moisture that her naturally coily hair needed. CAUSE: Harsh shampoo on dry, curly hair. EFFECT: Dry, brittle, ashy, breaking, natural hair that will not retain length properly. Will have no sheen/shine, will appear "nappy" as they call it.

2.) Did not know about Deep Conditioning & Moisturizing. OK everybody, this was around 2004!! No, I did not know about deep conditioning and moisturizing. CAUSE: No moisture imparted into dry, coily, shampoo'd  hair. EFFECT: Dry, brittle, ashy non-tolerant hair that will break with every comb/brush movement. In turn, will not retain length, and will also thin out.

3.) I did lots of Blow Drying before any style. I blow dried her hair approximately 4 times a month. Every time we washed, then it was blow dried. CAUSE: Already dry, brittle, natural hair forced to withstand the heat of a blow dryer every week. EFFECT: Dry, brittle, ashy hair breaks off at the ends, and the ends are thin, see through. The hair will not only retain length, but will LOSE length.

4.) Use of wrong de-tangling tools/techniques. Using a comb while the hair is soaking wet is not always the best way to manage hair that is already under stress. It is so important to find the best detangling technique for each different condition of hair. CAUSE: Wrong tools/techniques used for detangling  EFFECT: Broken/split ends, thinning out hair. Hair becomes weak because it is unhealthy and thin. Shorter length hair with thinning ends.

5.) Viewing her hair as an inconvenience. I saw her hair as "not easy to deal with". Since I saw it that way--then so did she! Also, since I saw it that way--and I could not find hairdressers willing to work with her hair, then I did not care about her hair enough to research the correct way to manage curly, coily hair. CAUSE: Bad view of coily hair  EFFECT: No care, Bad Care, Broken, Damaged Coily Hair. (Hey, that rhymes!)

WHAT DID ALL OF THIS ADD UP TO?

BECAUSE OF THESE 5 TOP REASONS THAT I PUT THE RELAXER IN MY 7 YEAR OLD'S HAIR................

I NEVER GOT TO SEE HER TRUE CURL PATTERN

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE HAD CURLY HAIR

I THOUGHT HER HAIR WAS BUSHY/FRIZZY

THE HAIR SHE HAS TODAY (AT AGE 14)--I NEVER SAW IT....

Natural Hair Girl: KEEP ME COILY

...I NEVER SAW IT.